Molding press



May26, 1931. P. E. wELToN 1,807,055 HOLDING PRESS Filed NOV. 4, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l Q a Q n? ab V i; N. e @N a j i Y n I u n! I H N E i in N N I A my vz 4. 3 t 'YI/061401; 5 a: y gg Par/f5.' /Velia/z ff i Y May 26, 1931 P. E. wELToN -1,807,055

MOLDING PRESS Filed Nov. 4. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig: 10 Par/f I P/elo/z www P. E. wl-:LToN 1,807,055

MOLDING PRESS May 26, 1931.

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May 26, 1931. P. E. wELToN 1,807,055

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P. E. WELTON MOLDING PRESS Fi1ed`Nov. 4, 1929 5 Sheets-'Sheet 5 Fly i] Par E WH0 Patented May ze, 193i '13050525 narran starts 'rarer carica i Application filed November 4, 1929. Serial No. 404,604.

This invention relates to multiple-mold while said group is being opened and held presses adapted to be opened at selected `Open at any selected point. points to insert and remove the work whilev A still further object is to enable difierremaining closed at other points for conential stack-pressing ram devices in an aptinuation of the molding action. Presses of paratus of this kind to be operated from a 5 this class, for example, are useful in the vulsingle fluid-pressure line. v canization of rubber articles suoli as pneu- A further object is to coordinate the opniatic tires where a single article is vulcaneration of devices for openino' and closing a ized in each mold, or for smaller articles such tire-mold group with those ligor controlling 1o as heels, etc., which are vulcanized in multhe internal fluid pressure within the tires. 60

tiple-cavity molds. in additional object is to insure the proper For tire casings it is generally more constripping of tires from their molds with the venient to place the molds with their planes least expenditure of power. f vertical, in a horizontal group or stack, and Other and ancillary objects will appear to mount tlieiii permanently in the apparatus from the succeeding description, taken in con- 65 so that only the article itself is inserted and nection with the claims. removed. For pneumatic tubes and smaller Of the accompanying drawings, articles the mold group and the direction of Fig. l is a longitudinal Vertical section molding pressure may be either vertical or of a tire-vulcanizing apparatus lembodying horizontal, and it is often convenient, parmy invention, with the mold stack or group 70 ticularly where multiple-cavity molds are in closed condition, the details of piping, pasemployed, to removably mount the molds sages, etc., being omitted. proper between plain steam-heated molding Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken plates which are permanently mounted inthe' away, showing the mold group opened and press. My present invention in some paromitting soine of the valve devices and other 75l ticulars applies to all of these difierent araccessories. rangements. In other and more speciiic Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the aspects it relates to the molding of pneuoperating end of the apparatus. matic tire casings, and is here illustrated as Fig. lis a front elevation, partly in section, 3G embodied in a tire vulcanizer with a horior" one of the mold sections. zental mold group. i Fig. 5 is a detail partial longitudinal sec- One of my obJects is to eiect a saving tion and elevation of one of the power rods of time and labor in the opening and closing and locks. v of the group oi molds or heater sections at Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on an-enany selected point while leaving it closed at larged scale as compared with Figs. 1 and 2, 85 other points, as by providing for Acollective showing one of the molds and adjacent parts setting ot a plurality of locks pertaining to for a tire of slightly diiferent'size, the fluid eachfniold or heater section to make or break passages being partly in diagram, this view the connection of the particular section with also illustrating in broken lines the position 40 power rods or the like actuated by pressureof one of the niold sections and the cured 90 ram devices. tire after the mold has been opened and the Another object is to save time and labor tire stripped therefrom. in the setting of locks and to facilitate the Fig. 7 is a detail section showing the oper selection of the proper point for opening the ation of the tire stripper.

group, as by providing fluid-pressure lock- Fig.V 8 is a front elevation of one of the 95 setting rains and locating their control valves lock-setter and bag-pressure control-valve on the individual sections. l devices.

A further object is to provide improved Figs. 9`and l0 are cross-sections thereof on quick-acting means for holding both ends the lines 9--9 and 101O of Fig. 48. 00 of the mold group under closing pressure Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic side elevation, *100 tion for different articles might be made, and.

features omitted or added, without departing from my invention as defined in the claims.

Heretofore, multiple tire-casing presslvulcanizers actually used in the art, so far as I am aware, have been conined on the oney hand, to double watch-easel apparatus and.V

on the other to pot-heater presses where a stack .fof molds all in the same stateof vulr canization are held between press platens. It is highlydesirable from the standpoint of heat-saving,.minimum idle timeof the apparatus and economy of space occupied, to provide an apparatus in which more than -two casings. or tubes can` be vulcanized at the same timennder a systemof overlapping cures with selectivemold openings, but prior attempts in this direction have-not, so far as IV know, been successful and the present invention is the'iirst to Vprovide a practical, commercial tire vulcanzer of this type.

Among the Idesirab'leor essential' requirements forvasuccessful 4apparatus are that when the mold stack is opened at a selected' point all the other .molds-'shall be-held tightly closedsothatvfluid pressure within the tires cannet partially openthe molds and produce excessive rindeV of extruded rub# ber; and also=that the operations of locking" the mold sections to the power ramspreparatorylto opening at the selected point may be easily and quickly performed. These andother importantrequirements are fulfilledl in the present` invention.

Referring tothe drawings, 210 is an I-beam". bed frame on which are mounted in vertical planes and horizontally in line with 'each 1 other a fixed support 2l for the -cylinder 22 of ahorizontalram Vdevice 23 at one end of the press a fixed :press platen-.24 connectedA with the cylinder support 2l by tie-rods 25, i' a movable press platen 26 bolted to the ,endly ofthe piston 27 of ram device 23, and apairof heads 28, 29 having horizontal movementsV to and from stop-shoulders at the' ends of a fiXedstop--plate orplug 30, the head 28 sup-v porting the cylinderl3l of a ram-'device 32v located in line with the ram device 23 at the opposite end of the press, and the'head 2913eing bolted to the end of the piston33 of said ram device 32. In the cylinder 22, which ma be termed the pressure c Vlinder,hy

draulic pressure is constantly maintained for cylinder," is intermittently charged and dis-" mit reclosure thereof, its piston being of` larger diameterthan that of cylinder 22.

Between the platens 24 and 26 are mounted in vertical planes a horizontal group of press plates 34 having in this instance incorporated therewith a series of tire-mold halves or` sections withV interveningV tire-mold cavities 35 here shown as three in number. This number might be increased or decreased according to the numberof units it is desired to handlek within the capacity. of the press. The two end plates 34 are permanently locked to the respective platens 24 and 26. Y The number of tires vwhich one man can handle in a press of this kind operated on a system of overlapping curesy vis determined by the length of time it takesto vulcanize one tire,

divided-thy the time requiredto open and..

stituting power" devicesV extending past and f.

parallel-with thergroup of press plates-34 bers of any selected Vpair of said plates by VVand adapted to'be connected `with themem- 'Y means of suitable locks, for opening the f l spective platens 24 and'26. There are three pull rods 36 bolted at their outer ends to the head- 28'and an equal number Vof push plate group at any desired po-int to remove rodsV 37 lbolted at their outerends, to ,the

head-29, all-of said'rods, as well as the tie rods 25, passingthrough suitablel apertures in the .flanges ofthe press plates 34.

Each press plate has vtwo series ,of locks A for connecting it'alternatively-withl the pull rods and-the push rods, and.. means vare provided for-concurrently setting all of the locks on eaclrplate. These locks are num-` ered '38v (Figs. 4 and 5) for the pull rods 36,

and 39V for the push. rods 37, and. are in the form of rotary collars or sleeves mounted in boXesz4O on the press plates and confined against axial movement thereon by the end walls or flanges 4l of said boxes. TheboXes are provided with covers V42 whichare removabletov afford access to the locks.l Theselocking' collarsr are slidingly mounted on or .in line' with the push 'and pull rods, and

.the principleof ajbreech-block or bayonet lock.

VEach of the locking collars 38 and 39 is lexternallyformed .over a part of its periphholdingthepress close-d, while thecylinder-f 3l, which may be termed the operatingmv ely with gear teeth 45 andan adjacent' concave face 46 adapted tomate respectively g entially s'lidable in a guiding groove 50 thereon in the plane ot the locking collars.

"ln moving counter-clockwise asviewed in Y Fig.v 4, :trom one end of its stroke to mid-pojsition, this ring 49 turns the collars 39 to bring their lugs out of registry with thosey sequently turned into locking position with relation to the lugs on the push rods 37.

'For shitting the ring 49 to set the locking collars, I providea pair of single-acting fluid-pressure (preferably pneumatic) rams radially mounted in the press plate 34 and geared to thc ring. 5l, 5la are the two ram cylinders integrally formed in the pressplate casting, and '52, 52 are the ram pistons, each provided at its outer end with a rack 53 whose teeth mesh with those of a pinion 54 fastened to a pair of larger gear pinions 55 which mesh with gear segments 56 bolted to the main segments of ring 49 and forming parts ot said ring. Each of these pinion assemblies is mounted to turn on an arbor 57 supported between flanges of the press plate. The racks 53 are backed by guide rollers 5S. The two racks being at opposite sides of their respective pinions, the rain pistons 52 move reciprocally, one being on its outstrokc -while the other is on its instroke and vice versa.

For locking the ringr49 vmidway of its stroke, with its gear segments 47 disengaged from both sets ot locking collars 38 and 39 and said collars standing in their unlocked positions, l form the upper periphery of the ring with a notch 87 and provide a latching bolt 88 mounted to slide vertically in a bracket S9 fixed to the plate 34, and pressed toward the ring by a spring 90, together with a lever 9i pivoted to the bracket and to the stem ot'v the latch-bolt tor manually retracting said bolt against the pressure ot' the spring. Lugs 92 on the ring 49 alternately. abut against the heads ot' corresponding adjustable stop screws 93 for limiting the strokeot the ring in each direction and insuring that one set of the locking collars will havertheir lugs properly deregisteredwith those on the corresponding rods while the other set of collars is locked. i

Each of the press plates 34 in this instance has incorporated therewith two halt molds for molding the tire casings 59, one of which casings is indicated in Fig. 6. I have here illustrated and improved construction ot the press )lates and mold halves or sections and the two.

an improved detachable connection between 60 is the body-plate or main casting of the press plate, formed with a central plate and angularly spaced apart thereon for Y i receiving pneumatic pressure and exhaust tol charge and discharge the ram cylinders 5l, 51?l through short connecting"passages 62 at their inner ends, and a similar concentric, arcuate duid-pressure chamber 63 located between the chambers 61 for charging and discharging the expansihle core or pressure bag 64 placed within the tire casing 59,' said bag being inflated either with gaseous luidsuch as compressed air or with hot water in accordance with common practice, and said bag, together with the tire casing, being mounted on a two-'part inner rim 65 between the mold sections.

rlhe several mold halves or sections are individually steam jacketed and my improved construction and mounting thereof includes a back plate 65 and a front plate 66 enclosing a steam chamber 67 between them, said plates being integrally connected at their inner and outer peripheries by means of welded seams 68, 69. rlhe front plate 66 is formed with a molding cavity constituting one-half of the tire-receiving cavity, and the back'plate 65 is detachably mounted in the body plate or casting 60 and connected therewith "by a quick-acting lock of the breech-block type including spaced outwardly-projecting lugs 70 on plate 65 adapted to pass between and to be turned into registry with inwardlyprojecting spaced lugs 7l on the body casting, these lugs having a wedging engagement with each other. Thereby I provide a simple and inexpensive construction ot the mold sections and a detachable connection permitting them tobe'readily removed and replaced for repair or substitution of mold sections of a different size or different formation of mold cavity.

The connections for supplying and discharging the steam jackets 67 are indicated somewhat diagrammatically in Figs. 4 and 6, 72 being the steam supply pipe or passage entering the upper part ofthe body casting of each of the press plates 34-and connected by lateral branches 73, 74 with the respective jacket chambers 67 on the two sides of said press plate. Passages 75 for discharging steam and wat-cr of condensation from the lower portions of the jacket chambers are partially shown. These views also illustrate a portion of the other fluid-pressure connecj leads axially into the valve casing 84, Whilev lplates are i are shown tions, including a'compressed-air pipe 7 6 leading to the arcuate chamber 63, a flexible pipeA 77 leading therefrom with a quick-detachable connection tothe air -bag'64r tor charging and :discharging the latter, andrpipes 7 8, 9 connecting with the respective arcuate chambers 61 for .charging and discharging the pneumatic ram cylinders which operate the lockshifting ring. "On charging the left-handv Ifram cylinder 51 as viewed in Fig. l through charging' and discharging the air bags and Vthe lock-shifting ram cylinders on each press plate, and I prefer to mount theseV control devices directly on the individual plates so that thev Joint at which the mold O'rou is to be opened for the removal of a .fully-cured tire casing and the insertion of a fresh one may be readily selected, this point being usually determined bythe operation of a suitable time-signal system.

It is further desirable to interconnect the control valves for the lock-shifting devices and the pressure bag respectively, so that the locks cannot be set to open the selected mold cavity Vwithout first discharging its pressure bag and vice versa. One of these control devices 80 is shown mounted'upon a bracket 81 on one ofthe press plates 34 in Figs. 2 and 4, and it will be understood thatthe other pressA similarly equipped. The details in Figs.'8, 9 and 10. A common operating handle 82 is connected'with the aligned stems of a pair of casings 83, 84 conf taining plate valves 4respectively for the locksettino device-s and the air bag. A. compressed-air supply pipe 85 leads axially'into the valve casing 83, and an exhaust pipe 86 leads from the side of said casing opposite to its connection withthe pipes' 7 8, 79 for the pull rod and push rod cylinders 51, V51a respectively. Similarly an air-supplypipe 94 i the` supply and discharge pipe 76 leading Vfrom ,the air-bag chamber 63 in the press plate and an exhaust pipe 95 arerespectively connected into the sideof said valve casing.

When the control handle 82 1s 1n the posi- ,tion indicatedin full lines in Figs. 9 and 10V and also indicated in Fig. 2, the correspondpress plate is locked to `the push rods .by the charging of cylinder 51a through pipe 79, an d exhausting ot the cylinder ltlirough pipe 7 8, and the ports of valve casing 84 are blanked kto retain in the bag 59 of the tire in the mold cavity on the left-hand side of view look-ing the press plateas viewed inFig. 2,v air pressure previously` admitted thereto. In. the midway or verticalY position of said handle the press plate Will be unlocked from both the push and pull-rods and the air'pressure in the bag-Willbe on, this beingthe position in which all molds are closed` In the righthand position` of handle V82v indicated' inA broken lines, the-press plate Will 'be locked to the pull rods and'unlocked from the push rods, .and the air-bag of the tirein the adjacent mold cavity at its left kWilll bedischarged. v i y Referringto Fig. 6, Which is a sectional towardthe front of the press, and to Fig. each press plate 34e at theleft of a moldingcavity (or at the right as viewed from the front in Figs. land 2) is provided at the upper side of its inner periphery with a memberfor supporting `the rimmed tire Yby the inner periphery of the rims central flange structure, .in registry With the tire cavity.

having a flange 97 at its outer end and mountcd to turn and also to slide telescopically on a stud or arbor 98 fixed in a lug onthe-body casting60 and projecting parallel With' the axis of the press plate. At'thelower innerv periphery of the press plate tothe right of the mold cavi ty as viewed inFig. 6 I provide a cooperating tire puller or stripperhere shawn as comprising a bracket 99 boltedto lug 100 on the body casting 60, a'gravity latch 101 pivoted at 102 on said bracket and having a stop heelengaging a pin`103 on the bracket tohold thelatch in position for engagement with a tire rim when thel mold is open, and a pawl or tooth member 104Lpivoted at 105V onsaid latch, said paWl having a heel projection engaginga stop face 106-on the latch to resist pulling movement of the, paWl against the tire rim 65'. The purpose of using a pivoted pavvllOl is to facilitate'the unhooking ofthe-latch from the tirev rim at the completion ot the stripping movement. Vhen the mold sections are separated to -remove a vulcanized tire, the supporting roller 96 and the latch 101 serve inV conjunctionl With each other to strip the tire from thatv Vmold section to which it clings. ItA the tire sticks inthe left-hand mold section as viewed in Fig. 6, the tooth of paWl 104 on the rightliand section immediately engages the ftire; rim and' draws the tire out 1of the mold section beginning at its lower periphery and* causing it totilt at an. angle to the vertical As here shown, said member isa rolleri96.

plane as indicated in Fig. ZWhile the mold l sections are being separated. The supporting roller 96 begins to slide out on its .stud

98; during this stripping action andcontinues until stoppedby the head of the stud and the mold sections continue toseparate thereafter. The angularity of the tire increases until it reaches approximately the position indicatedin Fig. 7, Whereuponthe tooth. otrv Vintermediate projection of said flange. The

tire rim is thereby freed from the stripper latch and the tire falls back to the vertical Vposition in the separated relation with respect to the left-hand mold section 66 indicated in broken lines at the left of Fig. 6. Should the tire stick in t-he right-hand mold section as the two sections separate, the supporting roller 96 is drawn out to the limit of its movement and the stripping of the tire then begins at the upper periphery under the action of the roller flange 97 in conjunction with the latch 101 holding the tire at its lower periphery until the parts reach the relation indicated in Fig. 7, whereupon the latch is released from the tire and the latter falls into its vertical position while the right-hand mold section continues to draw away from the stationary left-hand section.

When the mold group is to be partedat a selected point, that section immediately at the left of the dividing plane as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 is coupled* to the push rods 37 and thesection immediately to the right is coupled to the pull :rods 36. On admission of hydraulic pressure to the operating cylinder 31, the head 29 and the left-hand sub-group of mold sections are then pushed to the left against the pressure in lram cylinder 22. When this occurs, it is highly important that the sub-groupv of mold sections to the right of the parting plane shall be held together and against the xed press platen 24 with a torce greater than the mold-separating force caused by expanding pressure in 4the air-bags within the tires, in vorder to avoid any slight opening of the molds and extrusion of softened rubber Jfrom tires undergoing vulcanization therein. This is accomplished by moving ram lcylinder 31 and its head 28 a short distance to the'right under theiniiuence of the hydraulic pressure in said cylinder to take up any slack in the pull rods 36 and the collars hy which they are locked to the endl j most mold section at the parting plane.

When themold group is again closed by relievingthe pressure in the operating cylinder 31 sufliciently to allow that in cylinder 22 to predominate, and after said operating pressure has been brought back to theminimum, it is necessary to slack oi the rods 36 and 37 to relieve the pressure of their lugs .lela'gainst those of the locking collars 38 and 39 and thus to free said collars in order that they may be turned to their unlocked positions. This slacking-oli of the rods is accomplished by drawing together the heads 28 andv 29 against thestop lug 30 by means of a small hydraulic ram device conveniently mounted on the end of the operating cylinder 31, said ram device comprising a cylinder 107 embraced by cylinder 31 and partly conand is constantly maintained therein. WhenA the pressure in cylinder 31 has been drawn down to a minimum, the pressure in cylinder 107 acting oppositely upon the latter and upon piston 108 draws the cylinder y32 and its head 28 to the left and headA 29 and its piston 33 to the right until 'said heads come against the stop lug 30, thus freeing the locks on the rods 36 and 37. Y l f f Pipe 111 leads into the outer casing of a telescopic slip joint 112 carried by the head 28, and the inner or pipe member 113 of said joint is lixed to a bracket on the 'bed frame A20-and connects by a pipe A114 with the hying cylinder 31 to the outer casingof a telescopic slip joint 117 fixed on the l'under side of the head 28, the inner or pipe member 118 of said joint being iixed to the bed ktrame and extending through bothends of the casing, said ends being connected in a loop to'balance the pressure and avoid end thrust. A pipe section orcbranch 119 leads from the slipjoint pipe 118 to the hydraulic control valve for the operating cylinder 31. A similar balancing arrangement could be used for the slip joint 112 andeither or both of these joints could be substituted by other forms of compensating pipe connections. f

In the diagram of hydraulic connections shown in Fig. 11, 120 is a standard form of hydraulicr control valve operated by pneumatic pressure, here used for connecting the branch pipe119-from the operating cylinder i 31 alternately with the hydraulic supply main V115 and a dischargekor exhaust line 121.v The lpneumatic cylinder 122 at the top of this valve is connected by compressed-air supplyV the air pressure is exhausted from cylinder 122, allowing the valve 120 to shut `off the hydraulic pressure from operating cylinder 31 and open it to the discharge line 121.

After the mold group has been openedl at Y a selected point andvis being closed byV a reduction of hydraulic vpressure inthe operating cylinder 31 so that the constantly-acting pressure i in cylinder 22 can expel. the piston 27, a baclr pressure must be maintained kin cylinder 31 suihcient in amount to 'overcome'the air-bag pressure inthe tires andV` lavoid any separation of the molds in the two sub-groups While the latter are heilig 'closed together. Assuming that an air-bag :pressure of about 250 pounds per square inch isemploye'd, it has been found that a back pressure of 750 pounds per square inch in cylinder 31 will suffice to overcome this air-bag pressure for tire casings of the larger sizes. For smaller casings, the amount-of this back-pressure can be reduced on account of the smaller area. of said tires, the ram areas remaining the same.` This back pressure is established by inserting a check-valve 129 in the'V dis- `charge line 121 and locating an automatic 151 relief valve 130 on said line between the check valve and the control valve 120, said relief valve having a loading'spring 131- and an adjusting screw 132 to limit its opening, and servingto control the outletV through a branch pipe or loop 133 Which leads from'the reliefvalve casing batir into the draining portion 134 of the discharge line atzapoint posterior tothe check-valve 129.

The drain line 139 leads to a sewer or lother convenient Waste point andV in order to 'Y prevent the emptying of t-he operatingcylinder 31 by 'gravity When the drain line and'its vother end With the pipe 133j'so as to straddle the back-pressure valve 1301.and in this bypass I locate a manual control valve 145 Vwhose operating handle 146 is shown in its right-hand 'position forjopenifng the byfpass l143, '144v to relievev the backfpressure.` When handle 146'is .placed vertically, 'thejby-pass is closed and the pressure is retained inthe discharge line 121 up tothe pointestablished by the relief valveV 130. Thisy same'manual control valve 145 is also used to supply pressurev from the hydraulic main tothedischarge line 121and the cylinder 31 through Va branch pipe 147 and the pipei143 Whenhandle 146 is throvvn'over to the left. In this Way any leakage of- Water 'from the cylinder 31 Vand its connections through glands orother- Wise may be made up and theY cylinder 31 and i Y itspiping kept full of Water so that when .the

operating pressure is turned on thereiwill be no extreme reductionA of pressure 1n the supply main due Ato the filling of an;empty or` partly empty cylinder and piping;`

I'have shown boththe ram cylinders 22 fand 31 supplied by the samehydraulic main i115, in which a suitable high-pressure suchas 1200 to 1'500pounds per square'inch may be established, aprcssure gauge y148 being shown in branch connection'withthe` pipe 147' for 'indicating the amount of this pressure. lThis avoidsY the necessity of providing separate pumping equipment and' accumulators for suppl-ying the respective ramfcylinders.` In Yorder tok avoid a momentaryl reduction of pressure in cylinder 22iwhen'cylinder 31 or the ram cylinders o-fother presses which may be connected with the same supply line Vare opened tothe line, caused by filling the ram cylinder fasterthan the lpressure'can be supplied to the Imain1l5-in full amount, Which in thetireair-bags Wouldovercome that in cylinder22 and lpermit the Vmolds to lopen-eer breathe' and'extrude the softened rubber,` it

is desirable to'estab'lishf a back pressure' in cylinder22 duringtheretractionfof'its piston 27, above the pressure momentarily existing in the main Vy115 While the pressure incylinder tween'said'valve and cylinder there is l0- 'catedon pipe 149 an .automatic relief'valve llsimilar to theback-pressuravalve said. valve having a loading spring 152 Vand an adjusting screw153forli1niting itsopening movement. This z valve discharges through a feed-back or lbyfpass pipe 154linto 'thecmain- 115 andl said p'ipevcontainsa checki S reduction'mightibe so great that the vpressure D V31is being built-up i To' this end, thebra-nch pipe 149 leading into cylinder 22from the anterior portionV of the' ,hydraulic main 115 "is provided'witha check-valvei150, andbexlOU valve "155V for protectingr the relief'fvalve Y againstback surges of pressure.l Valve 151 may be `setto open, for example, at the'normal pressure of'the main 1115`such as 1500 pounds.V `per square inch. When the ram. piston 27 is pushed backiby the'pressure inithe operating cylinder= 31 to openthe'moldgroup at a selectedpoint, the Water from cylinder 22 returns intothemain 115, but itspressure eannotfallV belovvf that` established bythe loaded valve .151 and' consequently it. isnot a'e'cted by any pressure drop inthe line 115.

In the operation of'this apparatus, assumingthe group" of pres'sfplates 34 rand" their y mold sections to beclosedta'nd' all" tires in the molds undergoing, vulcanization, the' handle V1281of`thefpneumatic'rvalve 125 Will'be in its righthand :position as indicated'innFig. 1l, causing kthe mainivalve'120 lto close the connection between the operating cylinder 31and the supply main 115 and opening its connection Withrthe discharge line 121. The handle 146 of lay-pass control`valve-145 Willvalso be in its right-hand positiomopening'the discharge line 121,@ past the back-pressure valve '130into the drain'se'ction 139fof: said-line -through'the pipes 143,144v and'1133. The

pressure incylinder l31 Willthus be at-its vminimum and 'that inthe small: ram cylinder 107Willbeholding the-headsf28 and 29.` against e Both sets of said collars on each of the press periphery of the ring.

plates will be unlocked, with their operating rings 49 each occupying an intermediate angular position and so held by the latching bolts 88. The handles 82 of the control valves 8O on the several pressure plates will be in their vertical positions, shutting oil' the air pressure from the lock-operating cylinder 51, 51a and admitting air-pressure to the bags 64 to distend the tire casings 59.

When a fully-cured tire is to be removed and a raw tire substituted, the handle of the latch lever 91 on that press plate immediately to the right (as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2) of theplane at which the plate group i-s to be parted is depressed to withdraw its latching bolt 88 from the notch 87 in the corresponding lock-operating ring 49, and while it is so held, the handle 82 of the control-valve device 8O on said-press plate is thrown to the right. This exhausts the air-pressure in the bag 64 of the tire in the mold cavity to be opened, andY at the same time supplies air pressure to the ram cylinder 51 ot that press plate while opening the other ram cylinder 51a to the exhaust, thereby causing the ring 49 to be shifted counter-clockwise to the position shown in Fig. 4 and turning the locking collars 38 to bring their lugs into line with the corresponding lugs on the pull rods 36, the Vcollars 39 on the push rods remaining unlocked. Similar operations are performer with the latch lever 91 and the control-valve device 80 on the press plate immediately to the left of the parting plane, except that the handle 82 of its valve device is thrown to the left as shown in Figs. 2, 9 and 10, holding air pressure. in the bag of the next-adjacent mold cavity at the left, and charging the cylinder 51L ot that plate while discharging its cylinder 51, thereby moving itsring '49 clockwise and turning its locking collars 39 into locking relation with the push rods 37, the collars 38 meanwhile remaining unlocked from the pull rods 36. fis soon as either ring. 49 is thus shifted from its locked position, the corresponding hand-lever 91 may be released and the latch bolt 88 will ride on the plain outer The locking collars having thus been set to part the mold group, and the air-bag of the tire to be removed having been discharged, the handle 146 of valve 145 may be momentarily thrown over to the lett to open the hydraulic discharge line 121 to the supply main 115 and thu-s make up any possible deficiency of water volume and initial pressurein said line and its connections including the clearances of the operating cylinder-31. Said han dle is then moved to a vertical. position, closing said connection and shutting off the bypass 143, 144.

VPressure from the supply main 115 is now admitted directly into the piping 119, 118, 116 and control cylinder 31 through the main control valve 120 by throwing the handle 128 of the pneumatic valve 125 over to the left. This pressure, acting on the areas of ram cylinder 31 and its piston 33, which are greater than those of ram cylinder 22 and its piston 27, rst causes cylinder 31 and its supporting head 28 to move ashort distance to the right to take up the slack between the.

pull rods 36 and their locks and thus hold those mold sections to the right of the parting plane under full pressure of the operating ram. Immediately thereafter, lthe ram piston 33 moves the head 29 to the left and through the push rods 37 it forces back those mold sections to the left of the parting plane,

together with the movable press platen 26A and the pressure-ram piston 27, against the pressure in ram cylinder 22. The water in said cylinder escapes back into the main 115 through the relief valve 151 and pipe 154, and the loading of said valve maintains suiicicnt back pressure in cylinder 22 to avoid any opening by internal pressure of tire-containing molds which may be at the left ofthe parting plane. ri"he parting of the mold sections causesthe cured tire'to be stripped from the mold halves by the coaction of the flanged roller 96 and the hooked latch 101 in the manner previously described, and leaves said tire hanging on the extended roller as shown in broken lines at .the lett of Fig. 6. Fig. 1 represents the closed condition of the press. and Fig. 2 represents its vcondition when the plate group has been opened at the middle one of the threetire cavities,-the tires, stripping devices and some of the other accessories jbeing omitted for clearness of illustration.

rThe handle 146 of to close the 1oy-pa-ss Ithrough pipes 143, 144,

the pressure in cylinder 31 will be relieved through valve 130 and pi 3e 133 into the drain pipe 139 down to the assumed limit of 750 lbs. per square inch back Vpressure i est-ab lished by said valve 130, and the'preponderating pressure in ram Acylinder 22 `will close the two ends of the mold group together upon the raw tire, against said vback pressure which insures the sealing of molds in' both sub-groups during the closing movement. Valve handle 146 is then thrown to the right, opening the by-pass 143, 144 to reduce the i' zo the power rods responding rod lug.

pressure in cylinder 3l to the minimum and permit the pressure in the small rain cylinder 107 to move the headsQS and 29 together against the stop lug 30, thus slacking od 36, 3?' and freeing 'the locl` ing collars 38, 89 on tlietwo mold sections which have just' been closed. The valve handles 82 on those sections are then thrown toward each other momentarily past their middle positions to exhaust the previously active cylinders ol the pair 51,51 and charge the inactive ones in order to bring their locksetting rings 49 to an intermediate position in which they will be locked by the automatic engagement oil' ythe bolts 88 in the notches 87 of said rings, whereupon said Y handles 82 are restored to their vertical posi-` tions, the img or" the newly-inserted tire is inflated and vulcanization proceeds.` This completes the opei'ative cycle and the :toregoing operations may be repeated for an Vother tire cavity in the mold group when the tire in that cavity is ready to be removed and replaced.

lith this press, one man can handle all the operations for a large number of tires,

-the steam consumption and the floor space occupied are small as compared with other systems, and the further advantages referred to in the introduction are realized. y

" I claim:

l. In a molding press, the combination of a group of .press plates Ypertaining toa plurality of molds, power means extending past said plates longitudinally of the group for opening the group atV any selected point, a plurality or"` locks associated with each of said plates, for individually connecting them with the power means, and meansindividual to-each plate for collectively settin its looks.

Q; In ai vulcanizer, the combination of a gr up of mold heaters7 a plurality of power rods extending parallel with the group,'a plurality oitvloclisassociated with each heater for connecting them with the rods, and locl setting means on each` heater commento its several locks.

3. In a tire vulcanizer, the combination of :i group oi' individua-lly-heated mold sections termed with tire-molding cavities between them, Huid-pressure ram means having powcr rods extending longitudinally of the group, a. plurality of locks for each mold section to connect said section with the rods, and an actuator on each mold section for collectively setting its locks.

il. In a molding press, the combination of a group of press plates, a power rod common to the members or" said group and formed with alocking lug for each` oi the plates, and Vrotary locks axially confined on the'plates,

surrounding and axially slidable on the rod and cach having a lug movable, by turning the lock, into and out of line with the cor 5. In a molding press, the combination of an axially-movable press plate, a plurality of power rods provided `with locking members for moving said plate, rotary lockingvcollais slidable along said rods and axially conned on the plate, and a ring mounted on saidplate and geared to saidcollars `for turningthein into and out of locking relation with the locking members on saidrods.

6. In a molding'pi'ess, the combination ci a group of press plates, power means for opening said groupat anyse'lected point, locks individual to the respective plates for selectively connecting them with said power means, and fluid-pressure devices associated with the several plates for individually setting their respective locks. l i A 7. In a molding press, the-combination ofl a power device, -a group of press plates having Vindividual loclrsforl connection with said power device, an annular press plate having a lockrfor connection with said power device, and a lock-actuating i pressure-cylinder and piston radially positioned on said plate.

9.` In a molding press, the combination of a power device,- a press plate having a locl; forconnection with said power device, anda pair of single-acting fluid-pressure cylinders and pistons radially positioned and angularly spaced apart on said-platefor shifting said lock in opposite directions.

.10. In amolding press, the combination of a plurality of power'rods, a` press plate having rotary locking collars on said rods, a ring on said plate'geared to said collars, and a pair of single-acting luid-pressure rams mounted on said plate and connected with said ring by gearing includingl rack-and-pinion devices formovingsaid ring in opposite directions.

11. In a molding press, the combination of a power device, a press plate having a lock for connecting it therewith, fluid-pressure means for operating said lock, and means controllable by theV operator independently of saidliuid-pressuremeans for holding said lock in its unlocked position. V

l2. In a molding press, the combination of a group of press plates, a pair of .power devices adapted to be connected with respective members of'any selected pair of said plates for opening the group Abetween said pair, a pair of interconnected locks on each plate for alternatively connectingit with the respective power devices or disconnecting it from both of them, oppositely-actingluidpressure Vdevices 'for operating said locks, and an automaticallyengaged, manually-re'tractible latch device for holding said locks in their unlocked positions.

ing individual, fluid-pressure-operated locks for connection with said power device, and individual valve devices mounted on the respective plates for controlling the corresponding locks.

sectional tire mold, power means for separating` the mold sections, a lock for connecting a mold section with said power means, tire-inflating means, and control devices for said lock and said' inflating means, interconnected to set the lock in mold-opening position when the inating pressure is released and vice versa.

15. In a tire vulcanizer, the combination of a power device, a lgroup of tire-mold sections having individual fluid-pressure-operated locks for connecting them with said power device to open the group at any selected point, a tire-inflating device for each mold, and a pair of control valves having a common operating vhandle for each mold, to operatively set a selected lock while deiiating the corresponding tire, and vice versa.

p 16. A tire vulcanizer including a group of tire-mold plates, each provided with a ram cylinder and with transverse stiening webs defining a plurality of fluid-pressure cha-i--- bers spaced apart in the plane of the plate, one of said chambers communicating with said ram cylinder, means for charging and discharging said chamber, a supply passage leading to another of said chambers, and a tire-inflat-ing passage leading' from said other chamber.

17. A tire press comprising a group of pairs of tire-mold sections, means for holding said group closed, means for o-pening Vsaid gro-up at selected points between members of a pair, and means brought into action by separation of the sections for progressively stripping the tires by tilting them with respect to the mold sections.

18. A tire press comprising a paii1 of tiremold sections, a tire support on one of said sections, movable transversely of the plane of separation between the sections, and a tire stripper located substantially at a diametrically opposite point on the other section for progressively tilting the tire to loosen it from the mold.

19. A tire press comprising a pair of annular tire-mold sections, means f-or supporting a rimmed tire on one of said sections by the upper side of the inner periphery of its rim, and a stripper pawl pivotally mounted on the other section at the lower side of its inner periphery and having a tire-rim-engaging too-th pivoted for upward retraction by the rim when released therefrom due to increasing angularity of the tire and the pawl. Y 20. A molding press comprising a pair of platens, a group of mold sections adapted to be held under pressure between them, dierentially-acting Yfluid-pressure ram devices 14. In a tire press, the combination of a.

mounted substantially in line with each other for holding the group closed and for opening the group at selected points while holding the active sections closed under ram pressure, and means for selectively connecting one of said ram devices vwith the respective mold sections.

21. A molding press comprising ka group of press plates, diE-erential fluid-pressure devices for dividing the group at selected points while holding the active sections in both subgroups closed by fluid pressure, push and pull rods associated with one ofsaid devices* lin conjunction therewith to hold one subgroup under pressure while separately holding the other sub-group under pressure, push and pull devices connected with the respective members of saidram-and-cylinder device and adapted to be coupled at selected points along their length to corresponding selected press plates, and means for coupling said push and pull devices to the plates at these selected points. l

23. A molding press comprising fixed and movable platens, a group of press plates mounted between said platens, a pressure ram acting constantly against one of said platens to close the plate group, a pair of .heads movable in line with said platens, a

ram device having cylinder and piston respectively connecting with said heads, push and pull rods connected with the respective heads, and means forfconnecting said reds with respective members of' any selected pair of press plates to divide the group and hold both sub-groups closed under ram pressure.

24. A molding press comprising a group of press plates, means for holding said group closed, means including lock devices for opening the group atany selected point, and separate means for freeing the lock devices after cl-osure of the group.

25. A molding press comprising a group of press plates, a fluid-pressure ram for holding the group closed, means including a fluidpr-essure device, push and pull rods and locks on said rods at' the respective plates for dividing the group at any selected point against the pressure of said ram and holding both sub-groups closed under duid-pressure, and means for slacking off said rods to free the lcclrs after re-closure of theV group.

lllY

fill

26. A molding' press comprising a group ofpress plates, {luid-pressure ineans for holding the group closed, means including afiiuid- Y pressure ram device, a rod structure and individual plate locks thereoirfor opening the Y group at any selected point, and a constantlyact-ing fluid-pressure rain device for slacking oil' said rod structure to free the locks after re-closure of the group.

27. A molding pi'ess comprising a group of press plates, means vfor holding them closed, means including an operating rain andcylinder and locks for selectively opening the group, a lock-freeing rain having a cylinder surrounded by said operating cylinder.

28. A Ytire press having a horizontal group or sectional tire molds, and horizontally-acting ram devices mounted substantially in line with each other at oppositeends of the press respectively `for closing the group 'and for opening it at selected pointsV while holding tlie sub-groups closed under rani pressure.

29. A tire press having a horizontal group of tire-'mold sections, fixed and movableplatens at opposite ends of said group vfor holding the group closed, a `constantly-acting rain device having a piston connected with the movable platen and a cylinder connected by tie rods with the fixed platen, push and pull rods parallel with the inold group, locks for Vselectively connecting the in'old sections respectivelywith said push and pull rods,

Vand a. raindevice at the opposite-end of the press having cylinder and` piston connected respectively with said pull rods and push rods. Y Y

30. A tire press having a. horizontal group or tire-mold sections, fixed and' in'ovable horizontal push and pull rods parallel with the group, locks for Yselective'ly coiiiiectii'ig the mold sections respectively with said push and pull rods, an operating cylinder andpiston at the opposite end of the press, a hori- Y zontally-inovable head supporting the cylinder and connected with the pull rods, a second horizontally-inovable head connected with the piston between said cylinder-supporting head and the fixed platen and a rod-slacking piston and cylinder having one member connected with the operating cylinder and the other member connected with the second head for drawing said heads together to free said locks. I

31. A tire press comprising a group of sectional tire molds, means for expanding the tires in said molds by internal fluid pressure, a hydraulic raindevi'ceV for holding the group closed, a second hydraulie'ram device for opening the group at selected points, a common source of hydrauliopressure supply for said rain devices, 'and means for maintaining c panding pressure.

p source of hydraulic. pressure or holding said i' group closed and for opening it at selected llpoints, a discharge line fromthe intermit- I eliective hydraulic pressures on Said rain devices during their adi'nission, and discharge periods greater thanl the effective tire-eX- panding pressure.-

32. A molding press comprising-a' grouppw of press plates', diii'erential hydraulic devices supplied from a common pressure line for oppositely'acting onsaid' plates, and feedback means connecting one ofV said devices with the line for automatically maintaininge,i therein a back-pressure above the pressure inthe supply line when the latter drops on opening the line to the other device.

33. kA tire press comprising a group of tire-mold sections, means for expanding ther; tires between said sections, a constantly-act ing hydraulic cyliiidei'and piston :for holding said group closed, aii'opposing hydraulic operating cylinder and piston for opening the group at select-ed points, a common hydraulic-p g5 line forsupplyiiig said cylinders, a branch from said line to the constantly-acting 'cylinder, a check-valve in said branch, a bypass from said constantly-acting cylinder to the line, and an automatic loaded relief valvei in said by-pass 34. A tire press comprising a group of tireinold sections, means for expanding the tires between said sections, means for holding the group of sections closed, an opposing hydraulicdevice for openingthe group at selected points, and means for maintaining in said device during closure of the group abackpiessure suiiicient to overcome thetir'e-eX-m 'loo 35. A molding press comprisinga group of press plates, means includingdifierential constantly-acting and intermittently-acting hydraulicy devices supplied from a common tently-actingdevice, and an automatic loaded Arelief valve in said-'line for maintaining a back pressure on said intermittently-acting l l' 10 devic. l 36. A tire press comprising 'a group of tiremold sections, means for expanding the tires between said sections, means including diiferential constantly-acting and intermittently-115 acting hydraulic devices for holding said group closed and for opening it at selected points, a common hydraulic supply line ffor said devices, a discharge line from the intermittently-acting device, ineans for inaintain-- ing a back pressure in said discliargeline during closure ofthe group suiiicient to overcome the tire-expanding pressure, and means for charging said discharge line directly from the supply line.

37. A tire press comprising a group of tirev'mold sections, means for expanding the tires between said sections, a constantly-acting hydraulic rain device for holding the group closed, an` opposing Vinterinittently-acting 130 hydraulic ram device for opening the group at selected points and holding both subgroups closed under ram pressure, a common hydraulic pressure line for supplying said ram devices, a discharge line from the intermittently-acting ram device, means for automatically maintaining a bac-k pressure in said discharge line during closure of the group sufficient to overcome the tire-expanding pressure, and control-valve mechanism and connections for charging said discharge line directly from said supplyf line vvhen the group is to be opened and for discharging it of its back pressure after the group has been closed.

38. A. molding press comprising a group of press plates, means for holding said group closed, an opposing hydraulic 'ram device for opening the group at selected points, a discharge line Jfrom said ram device, means for maintaining a back-pressure in said discharge line during closure of the group, means for discharging said back pressure, and a drain line connected with the discharge line and having a head-maintaining loop eX- tending above the level of said ram device.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto setmy hand this 2nd day of November, 1929.

PARK E. WELTON. 

